Grace Lukach and her lovely mare, Angel Smiling won the Pickwick Medal Final 2009.  The duo won the first round on Saturday with a score of 85, with second place coming in with a score of 81.  Grace, Beverly and Angel prepared for Sunday’s final with the pressure of maintaining their lead.

Judged by Mr. Russ Waither and Ms. Paddy Downing-Nyegard, the team received an 88 for their second round.  The two stellar performances put Grace and Angel ten points ahead in their combined total two-day score.  The pair were so far in the lead, and given that the work-offs are optional, the judges decided not to require them to do a work-off and declared them the winners.  The judges did, however, work off those sitting in second, third, fourth and fifth places.

Grace won a new Antares saddle, a $250 gift certificate to Jake’s Place, a cooler, a blanket of incredible roses, flowers, vases and, or course — long ribbons, and memories to last forever.

Congratulations to all involved in this big win.

Congratulations to all for a great show at Pebble Beach’s Strides & Tides.  Caroline DeMoss and her mount, Lucky Mushroom were 4th in the Hudson & Co Medal final, 1st in the NorCal Equitation Classic, and won the $2,500 Junior Derby Hunter Chase.  Their numerous wins made them the highest money earned Junior Horse and Rider Combo, for which they were awarded a $5,000 vacation package award!

Grace McLaughin and her hunter mount, Olympic (pictured above) were Champions in the Junior Hunter division, and 4th in the Hunter Chase.  Grace was Champion in both the NorCal Equitation Classic 15 – 17, and Junior Equitation 15 – 17 (in which they won every class) with her mount Santo.

Tylor Nowell and her versatile pony Otteridge Black Hawk won the NorCal Pony Equitation Classic, were Champions in Large Pony Hunters, Reserve in the Pony Equitation division and won the $500 Pony Hunter Classic.

India Graham and Chlarissa were Champions in the Children’s Hunter 14 – 17 division, and Bridget Twomey and Iridescent were Champions in the Adult Amateur 18 – 44 division and Reserve Champions in the Adult Amateur Modified Hunter division.

For a complete listing, click on “Results” in the navigation bar above.

Check out the new photos on Chestnut Hill’s website.  The photos in the homepage rotation have also been updated!

Chestnut Hill posted great results at the Woodside Labor Day Classic, with the equitation teams turning in particularly outstanding performances.  Results included Champion in Low Adult Equitation for Elizabeth Robbins and Jonagold, Reserve Champion in the Carousel Junior/Amateur Medal and Equitation 15 – 17 for Blaire Kingsley and Grasshopper, wins for Kelley Anne LaFond and Greta in the Horse & Hound, Ariat and PCHA Horsemanship Adult medals.

The pony Bridgette, owned by Marnye Langer returned to the show ring after a 10-year hiatus and helped rider Toni Anderson  nab a 7th and an 8th place ribbon in the Opportunity Junior Walk-Trot classes.  Marnye and her horse Glados were busy collecting red ribbons and cash in the jumper ring for the $1,000 Open Welcome Jumper Stake, the $1,500 Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic and the $7,500 Woodside Jumper Classic.

Check out all the results – including a second in the $1,000 Pony Hunter Final for Caroline Robbins and Right on Time.  Congratulations to all!

Chestnut Hill LLC now has its own page on Facebook!  If you are a member of Facebook, do a search for Chestnut Hill LLC and become a fan.  If you haven’t yet joined, it’s easy!  Fans can comment, post their own photos, add to existing photo albums, and track what is happening at the barn, and at the shows.  Become a fan now!

Chestnut Hill recently bid farewell to Bo Regards, the namesake of Beaumont Farms.  Born October 23, 1983, he was ten years old when Bridget and her then trainer, Valerie Hagen found him at Andrea Barbi’s sale barn.  Bridget had only started riding recently and knew very little about trying or buying a horse, but she did know love at first site.

The new team started doing the 1’6″ classes at Dixon Ranch and the following year they were competing in the Adult Amateur classes, and then on to the Adult Owner division (see photo below).  At that same show Calistoga show they debuted in the A/O hunter division, Bridget and Bo also began their career in the jumpers – competing in the AA division, as well as the 3’9 mini-Prix, in which they placed sixth (the slowest double-clear team), which served as the conclusion of their jumper career.  Bridget and Bo went on to compete successfully in medals, equitation and hunter classes.

Bridget and Denis knew they would have to find a special place to retire her first horse, which led them to their beautiful farm in 1996.  When Bo’s 3’6 career was over, Bridget bought and began showing Coral Reef and Barb Bochner began piloting Bo.  Barb loved him as well as said, “those of us who got to be his co-captain – as he was always sure he was the captain – were very lucky.”  The due were very successful over the years, and when Bo went into full retirement, which arrived about five years ago, he had earned every minute of it.

Among Bridget’s favorite memories of this special horse included how he always charged onto the van to go to shows because he loved competing so much, how he always believed he should win every flat class and when the announcer read the winner’s name, Bo always tried to walk out of the line up and the rider had to hold him back, how he loved to eat BBQ potato chips and granola bars.

Bo developed a large tumor under the bone on the front of his face and Bridget and Denis always thought it would ultimately do him in.  Instead, he died a quick death from acute colic, so he suffered very little, and he went with great dignity.  Bridget added, “he deserved that and so much more.” Safe travels, Dear Friend.

The Sacramento Area Hunter Jumper Association Championship show will take place this weekend at Leone Equestrians (main hunter ring pictured above) in Sacramento, and trainer Beverly Jovais will be judging.

Chestnut Hill horses and their riders will notice several “home improvements” at Beaumont Farms these days.  The main barn is getting spruced up with new siding (see photo above).  The fans in the main barn were installed recently and they make a big difference on hot days by keeping the air moving and the horses cooler when the temperatures rise.

The first phase of construction for the new Eurociser, which included grading the ground, pouring a pad and putting down and packing the base rock was completed earlier this week (see below). The project will be completed next month.

Grace Lukach and her mare, Angel Smiling (pictured above) took third in the CPHA Junior Medal Final at the Blenheim Summer Classic.  The pressure for the class is very intense, as it takes place indoors, during the evening, under the lights, before a hushed crowd.  All 58 competitors participated in the first two rounds before three judges.  Each judge scores each round, and the competitors are placed according to the average of those three scores.  Grace and Angel received an average score of 82 after the first round, which left them out of the top ten.  But, the duo came back for an amazing second round, in which they placed second – receiving an average score of 87, with one judge giving them an 89.  Grace and Angel were in fourth place going into the third and final round, which included only the top ten teams.  Their final round was brilliant, and the duo claimed third overall, garnering another 89 from one of the judges.

All of the courses were difficult and technical, but the final course included an “S” line (two bending lines) that could be ridden as a five stride to a five stride, a six to a five, or a six to a six.  The top three finalists each happened to select a different option, (Grace and Angel rode the six to the five strides), demonstrating that each could be ridden beautifully.

Other results from the show included championship ribbons for Kingsford and Katharina Coleman (First Year Green), Lucky Mushroom and Caroline DeMoss (High Modified Hunter and Taylor Harris Insurance Medal), Grace McLaughlin and Santo (Equitation 14 – 15).

Congratulations to all competitors!

Pony hunters Right on Time with owner Caroline Robbins and Otteridge Black Hawk with owner Tylor Nowell (pictured above) each captured Reserve Championships in their divisions.  Medal riders also did well, capturing blues in the Onondarka and WIHS Saddle Equitation Qualifying Class- Jumper Phase and Overall, and reds in the USEF Pony Medal, Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal, NorCal Hunter Jumper Medal, and the Pickwick Junior/Amateur Medal. This highly rated show is a perennial favorite, and the this year’s tough competition included Olympian Will Simpson (pictured below)!